Hi Graeme, Wolgang, Alan,

yes, "DAT DU MIN LEEVSTEN BIST", that´s the way we know it over here...

Here's another nice one: people of Northern Germany are said to be rather, well, don't talk too much, and especially when emotionally involved, just don't seem to find the words and don't get their teeth apart. So there's two friends, one has to leave, and while the other one talks and talks, our friend doesn't find a word to say, except: "I gotta go."

He sä me so veel, en ik sä hem keen word,
en all wat ik sä wör, Jehann, ik mut fort.

He sä me vun leev, un vun himmel un eer,
he sä me vun allens, ik weet all niet meer,
he sä me so veel, un ik sä hem keen word,
un all wat ik sä wör, Jehann, ik mut fort.

He heel me de hand en he bee me so dull, ik schull
hem doch gut ween, un ob ik nich wull,
ik wör je niet bös, un doch secht ik keen word,
un all wat ik sä wör, Jehann, ik mut fort.

Nu sit ik un denk, un denk jümmer daran,
mik düch ik mus segt hebbn, was gern min Jehann,
un doch, kömmt dat wedder, so seggt ik keen word,
un holt he me seggt ik, Jehann, ik mut fort.

As I wrote this one down by heart, I can't guarantee for any spelling, though I don't know if anyone can in Plattdeutsch... The translation would be something like: He told me so much, and I didn't say a word, and all I said was, Jehann, I gotta go.

He talked about life, about heaven and earth, he talked about everything, I can't even remember, he told me so much and I didn't say a word, and all I said was, Jehann I gotta go.

He hold my hand and begged me so much, I should wish him goodbye, and why I wouldn't, I wasn't mad at you, still I didn't say a word, and all I said was, Jehann, I gotta go.

Now I'm sitting here and always have to think about it, I think I should have said, It's all right, my Jehann, and still, if this should happen again, all I would say was, Jehann, I gotta go.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 1-Feb-02.